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Newbie needing help with lab results

6K views 10 replies 4 participants last post by  luannep 
#1 ·
Hello everybody - - this is my first post, although I have been lurking for a while. I'm hoping someone here can help me understand my lab results. I'll be seeing a rheumatologist in a few weeks, but I'm so confused by the report from the lab that I thought I'd see if anyone knows what it means.

One page says "Test Name: antinuclear antibodies, IFA; Result: see patterns". On a separate page there is a heading that reads: FANA Staining Patterns.
Right below that is a column that looks like this:
Homogeneous pattern
Nucleolar pattern
Speckled pattern
Centromere pattern
Annotation: ANA+
Note: SPRCS

That's it. I have read up about patterns, but does this mean they detected all of these staining patterns? And I have no clue what SPRCS means, if anything. I'm a little nervous about all of this and I'd sure appreciate any help.
Thank you! Sorry for the long post!
LuAnne
 
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#2 ·
Hi LuAnne,

I am sure someone with more knowledge then I have will be along but I am pretty certain you cant have all of these patterns, only one.

I will watch this post to see what others may say here. I would be confused too but don't worry. Nice to meet you and welcome to the boards.
 
#3 ·
Hi LuAnne,

Glad you decided to post, but I'm afraid, like Karol, I'm confused by these results.

Usually you would have results saying ANA + then a titre number i.e. 1:160, 1:320, 1:640 or something. Then it would list the pattern. It's quite possible to have a couple of different patterns but not all of them . It looks like incomplete results - are you sure there are no pages missing?

love
Lily
 
#4 ·
Oh and as for the note SPRCS I can't find that anywhere in my usual sources of medical terminology or medical abbreviations?

love
Lily
 
#5 ·
Karol and Lily, thanks so much for the welcome and responses.

I actually called my doctor's office and they assured me that I had all the information, but couldn't explain why the results are displayed in such a confusing way. The rheumatologist is going to have blood work done again and sent to his own (different) lab.

SPRCS will just have to remain a mystery for now, I suppose! The dr. said that the centromere pattern is the most concerning to him, but I'm still not really sure that my lab results are indicating that. To me it just looks like a list of possible results.

Thanks again! I'll post again if I learn anything new.

LuAnne
 
#6 ·
Hi again,

I agree, it looks like the labs list of possible results. It would be really weird if you had all of those patterns :hehe:

They have listed ANA+ but it's weird because it should have a titre next to it or if they used what is called the ANA direct method it would have a number next to it.

Glad he is going to use his own fav lab next time :yes: it really does need to be done again. Bit of a pain in the neck for you though :(

love
Lily
 
#7 ·
Hi LuAnne, welcome to the site. I have found it to be a great place to find info and support. I can't help you with your blood test results, they seem confusing to me, I am afraid! I hope your next blood test and rheumy appt reveal more and provide you with some answers.

Deb
 
#8 ·
Thanks, Lil and Deb!

I will hear results from the new lab in a few days, hopefully. I've been a little bit obsessed with figuring out the results from the last lab, but I guess I just need to let it go and see what happens with the most recent tests. :-/

My gut feeling is that they will tell me everything is normal. I know this would be good news, but a little frustrating at the same time. In a way it would be hard to accept that nothing is wrong when I'm having these symptoms. It would make me wonder if I've been imagining things or making too much of them.

Okay, I'm done.
Thanks for letting me vent! :)

LuAnne
 
#9 ·
Well LuAnne you MUST stop back and enlighten all of us with these results. I have NEVER heard of anyone having all of the patterns, this baffles me to no end and now I am more then curious.

Your appt. in a few days will be here before you know it so jot down some questions for the doctor so you don't forget to ask when you get there. I hope it goes smoothly and let us know how you make out. Good luck.;)
 
#10 ·
I'm finally back with an update! Everything came back normal this time, except for a little anemia.
Can tests like ANA fluctuate depending on whether the disease is active or in remission? I was feeling so good the day I went to the rheumatologist for the new tests that I expected the negative results. The only odd thing that day was that I was running a fever. I had one at my other doctor's appointment, too.
Thanks again for the responses and good wishes!
 
#11 ·
KarolH, I almost missed your post. I still don't know what the deal was with those other lab results as far as the patterns are concerned. My rheumy at first thought it meant every pattern was detected (!), then decided it was just the speckled and centromere.

Since my new tests came back negative for ANA I guess I'm back where I started!
 
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